Quota reformists for tougher movement

Quota protesters marched different roads of DU yesterday. -AA

Rejecting the 40th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) circular, protesters threatened to go for a tougher movement if a gazette notification reforming quota system in public services is not issued immediately. They also called for the implementation of their three-point demand such as withdrawal of all "false" cases against the quota reform protesters.

Quota reformists at a press conference in Dhaka University on Tuesday demanded the gazette notification before the circular of the 40th BCS exams was issued.

But around two hours later the same day, Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) released the circular for 1,903 civil service jobs keeping previous quota system.

Bangladesh General Student Right's Protection council yesterday brought out a procession protesting the issuance of 40th BCS circular with existing quota system and demanding the implementation of their three-point demand from the Central Library of Dhaka University (DU) on Wednesday. After parading the whole campus of the DU, the procession ended at the premises of the Raju Memorial sculpture with a short rally.

Joint-convener of the council Nurul Haque Nur, Muhammad Rashed Khan, Faruk Hasan, Bin Yameen Mollah and hundreds of protesters, among others, were present in the rally.

Nur said, "The quota reform movement was a logical movement but the government filed cases against student protesters to suppress the movement. We have never asked for the cancellation of the quota system. We have just been calling for its reformation.

The Prime Minister has said in the parliament that there would be no quota in government jobs. If she wants to cancel the quota system she can do this. Or if she wants to reform then it must be in the line of our five-point demand." At the time, Faruk Hasan read out their three-point demand.

Muhammad Rashed Khan said that they will launch a tougher movement if the gazette of quota reformation is not published without any delay.

Students and jobseekers took to the streets on February 17 and continued protest for reducing the quota in government jobs to 10 per cent from existing 56 per cent. Amid countrywide protests for reforming quota system, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 11 told parliament that there would be no quota in government jobs.

A seven-member committee was formed earlier to reform or abolish the quota system in the face of student movement. The committee was initially given 15 working days to submit the report. The timeframe was later extended by 90 working days.

Earlier on August 12, quota protesters threatened to launch a tougher movement paralyzing the country from September if their detained fellows were not released before the Eid-ul-Azha and a gazette notification reforming the quota system would not be published by August 31.